Cats, not less than stereotypically, prefer to live life on their very own terms. Unlike dogs who live to please, Kitty is more more likely to let you know you’re doing such a lousy job petting her or that your latest shaggy rug is nowhere near as great because the plush one you used to have.
A few of that’s web meme lore, but in relation to food, cats are likely to be far pickier about what they eat, and that could make it difficult to change things up.
“Cats are only more particular about palatability, texture and flavor,” says Dr. Angie Kraus from I and love and also you.
But Dr. Kraus says wet food is healthier for cats than dry food.
“Cats are carnivores,” she says. “Once we feed them kibble, we’re feeding them a number of carbohydrates. With a view to make a kibble, you will have to make it crunchy, which requires some type of carbohydrate like … rice.”
A food regimen high in carbs can result in obesity, dental and gastrointestinal issues and pancreatitis. Even when Kitty loves her kibble, Dr. Kraus believes it’s price it to transition a cat from dry to wet food. She shares suggestions for getting even probably the most particular kitty on board with the change.
Photo: AaronAmat / Getty Images
Go slow
Dr. Kraus advises against attempting to go cold turkey by putting out dry food in the future and only wet food the subsequent. “Cats will certainly win out in a starvation game,” she says. “In the event you don’t feed a cat for 72 hours, they will have pretty serious issues like liver disease that aren’t reversible and quite possibly life-threatening.” As a substitute, try putting a bit of wet food out to see if the cat is interested. “In the event that they usually are not, I’ll mix it into what they’re already liking in order that they can slowly get [used to it].” Every couple of days, decrease the quantity of dry food and increase the quantity of wet food. Patience is a virtue. Dr. Kraus says that some cats may have the option to transition from dry to wet food in a single week. “For the cats who aren’t as easy-going, it could actually take a number of months,” she warns.
Get creative
If Kitty isn’t taking to her latest food regimen, you might have to try a number of things out. Remember, cats have their idiocracies. “There are some cats which have a number of specific temperature preferences,” Dr. Kraus says. “People attempting to get their cat from kibble to wet foods may find they like their food barely warm or with a bit of water.” Sometimes, presentation could be every little thing. “They don’t just like the bowl. They don’t want their whiskers to the touch the bowl, or they need a plate, but they don’t want that plate to be plastic,” Dr. Kraus says even the placement of the bowl or plate and the time you’re putting it out can affect whether Kitty takes the food or leaves it. Mess around with it.
Related: Make Mealtime Fun for Cats
Sometimes, combo-feeding is an excellent compromise. “If there could be any wet, that’s higher, and a number of people must combo feed because their cats refuse to eat only wet food, and a few cats will only eat dry food once they’ve change into accustomed to dry food,” Dr. Kraus says.
Photo: Sergey Pakulin/Getty Images
What about changing from wet cat food to dry food?
Though Dr. Kraus says wet is best, sometimes people need to do the other and transition to dry food.
“Probably the most practical consideration is with the ability to leave [the cat over the weekend] and not using a pet sitter, or economical reasons,” Dr. Kraus says. “Dry food could be rather a lot cheaper than wet food.”
This transition also needs to be slow. Start by putting out a bit of kibble to see if the cat will take it. If not, mix it with wet food. Not working? “There are a number of fun food toys and dispensers that make it interesting,” Dr. Kraus says. “They will roll a ball around, and it could actually dispense food or it can appear to be grass, and so they must bat it around to get it out of the grass.”
Top photograph: Chalabala / Getty Images
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